Radioactive – Reset
(Frontiers Music SRL - 2024)
(Genre: AOR/Melodic Rock)
Tommy Denander is a Swedish Guitarist/Musician who has worked with a whose who of musical talent since the late 80’s. Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Rob Zombie, Bobby Kimball and Ke$ha to name a few. His Radioactive project is here releasing their sixth studio offering ‘Reset’. As with the previous Radioactive albums, Denander has guest vocalists and players on hand to help deliver this album.
Swedish Singer, Jim Jidhed (Alien) provides vocals on four of the albums tracks. Opener ‘Sentimental’ has a Journey like charm to it. ‘When The Lights Go Down’ is an injection of classic rock adding more upbeat energy to the album. Denander offers some fine guitar work throughout the track, ‘In a Perfect World’ is an 80’s AOR song with an impressive guitar solo. ‘Open Spaces’ could be from an 80’s action movie montage scene. Bands like Survivor, Journey and Toto come to mind no name a few.
Jeff Paris also offers vocals on four tracks the first being ‘Shame On You, Shame On Me’ which reminds me of the early 80’s soft rock bands of that era. Denander flexes his musical muscles on guitar ‘Gaia’ is a ballad that offers hints towards Def Leppard musically. ‘Sweet Little Tina’ sees Denander’s guitar work power the track along, it is pure 80’s throwback fun.
Album closer, ‘Breakaway’ is a song that sits in a space somewhere between Joe Lynn Turner era Rainbow and late 80’s Whitesnake. It’s probably my favourite track on the album and Denander plays brilliantly throughout this song.
Robin McAuley of Survivor & McAuley/Schenker fame is on vocals for the title track ‘Reset’. The drumming drives the song along with its beat and groove. Denander plays some great stuff within this track and Keith Scott (Bryan Adams) provides a strong solo.
The albums seventh song is ‘Midnight Train’ which is sung by Harris Dio Zindani. It fully embraces its early 80’s sound and charm, you could easily hear this being a hit song for one of the bands of that time. Joey Vana is on vocal for ‘Hard Times To Fall In Love’. Musically it has a Def Leppard feel and Denander shows off his guitar pedigree again.
Tommy Denander shows his musical and songwriting abilities throughout this release, which won’t be a surprise to any familiar with his work. It is obvious to see why so many well-known artists have worked with him. Radioactive will appeal to anyone with a penchant for 80’s AOR soft rock.
As well as the above mentioned names Mutt Lange, Lenna Paris, Neil Anami, Tony Levin, Tony Nilsson and Jermey Rubolino all offer their services throughout this album.
7/10
By Carl Mace